Marin County: Shooting suspect convicted in attack on 90-year-old man

MARIN COUNTY -- A man charged with shooting a 90-year-old Greenbrae man in the face after breaking into his home was convicted on all counts Wednesday after just one day of jury deliberations.

Samuel Cutrufelli, 31, faces a potential life term when he is sentenced by Judge Andrew Sweet.

The shooting occurred at about 10:45 a.m. Jan. 3 at Jay Leone's home on Via La Cumbre. Authorities allege that Cutrufelli, a drug user with an assault record, broke into Leone's home, put a gun to his head, tied his wrists and rummaged through the bedroom for valuables.

Leone said he wriggled his hands free, convinced the burglar to let him use the bathroom, and retrieved one of his guns from the bathroom. In the ensuing gunfight, Leone was shot once in the face and Cutrufelli was shot four times in the body.

Cutrufelli, a 31-year-old Petaluma resident who grew up in Novato, was charged with attempted murder, robbery, burglary and other counts.

Cutrufelli's lawyer, Sanford Troy, argued that his client was not burglarizing Leone's home but was there to buy drugs from one of his tenants. Troy argued that Leone shot Cutrufelli in the back as he was trying to flee.